Fireside Sips
Whether you’re cozying up for movie night, relaxing with your favorite book or trying out a new podcast, no fireside hangout is complete without a tasty beverage. Here are some of our favorite recipes, sure to heat up any evening by the hearth or the fire pit!
Mulled Wine
Watch How-to Video Here
You'll need:
2 large oranges
1 bottle of affordable Merlot, Zinfandel or Garnacha (also called Grenache)
1/2 cup brandy
1-2 tablespoons maply syrup or honey, to taste
2 whole cinnamon sticks
3 star anise pods
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup cranberries
How-to:
Squeeze juice from one of the oranges. Slice the other orange into rounds.
Add orange juice and rounds into a small Dutch oven or similarly heavy-bottomed pot.
Pour in the wine, then the brandy. Add 1 tablespoon of sweetener, then the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves.
Warm over medium heat until steaming. Reduce heat to low at first sign of bubbles.
Time to taste-test. If you want it sweeter, add another tablespoon of sweetener. If you want it spicier, keep cooking for 5-10 more minutes.
Serve in mugs garnished with cranberries and extra spices for a holiday-appropriate look.
Spiced Chai Cocktail
Watch How-to Video Here
You'll need:
2/3 cup vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup chai tea concentrate
1/5 oz. whiskey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Cinnamon or chai spice
Cinnamon stick
How-to:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until too cold to hold. Pour into a tumbler and top with a sprinkle of chai spice or cinnamon. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and enjoy #bythefire.
Spooky Smash
Watch How-to Video Here
You’ll need:
8 fresh blackberries, plus more for topping
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, plus a sprig for serving
Juice from half of a lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1.5 ounces mezcal
A couple dashes of orange bitters
Seltzer water, for topping
How-to:
Add blackberries, rosemary, lemon juice and honey to a cocktail shaker or jar.
Muddle all of the ingredients together, squishing everything well in order to release the juices. Once everything is well-muddled, add the mezcal and orange bitters.
Strain the drink into an ice-filled glass. Top the glass with a little more ice, pour the seltzer water over, and gently stir to combine. Garnish with fresh rosemary. If you’re feeling bold, add a mezcal float to amp up the smoky flavor.
Spiced Fig Bourbon Sour by Apartment Bartender
You’ll need:
2 oz bourbon
¾ oz spiced fig syrup*
1 oz lemon juice
1-2 dashes of aromatic bitters
How-to:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain the drink into a rocks glass over ice, and garnish with a slice of fig, lemon wedge and sprig of thyme.
*How-to make spiced fig syrup:
In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of water and 4-5 halved figs. Add in two broken-up cinnamon sticks, 3-4 whole cloves and 2-3 star anise, and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Once the figs begin to soften, lightly mash them, and then add in 1 cup of sugar and remove the syrup from the heat. Allow the syrup to cool before straining out the solids through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter. Store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Grilled Pineapple Mojito
You'll need:
Simple syrup
1 bunch of fresh mint
6 (1/2 inch) slices of grilled pineapple, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 1/2 cups light rum
1 liter club soda
How-to:
Grill pineapple for 3 minutes per side over medium high to high heat, just until browned and caramelized.
In a large pitcher, combine most of the pineapple, the mint and a splash of lime juice. (Reserve 6-8 pieces of pineapple for garnishes on the glasses). Muddle to release the aromas of the mint and smash the pineapple. Add the simple syrup (to taste), the rest of the lime juice, the rum and the club soda and stir.
Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a piece of grilled pineapple.
Fresh Watermelon Margarita
Watch How-to Video Here
To make it, you’ll need:
½ cup of tequila (or mezcal)
½ jalapeño, sliced
4 cups cubed watermelon
½ cup lime juice
Salt (optional)
Ice
How to:
In a blender, combine the tequila, jalapeño, watermelon and lime juice. Add a large handful of ice and blend until slushy. Rim glasses with salt, if desired. Garnish with sliced jalapeño and lime. Enjoy fireside!
Crackletini
Watch How-to Video Here
In a shaker, combine:
Ice
1.5 oz vodka
.75 oz blue caracao liqueur
.75 oz lemon juice
Shake until cold and pour over ice. Top with Pop Rocks, garnish with a festive popsicle and enjoy #bythefire!
Root Beer Floats (with a twist!)
Watch How to Video Here
You only need three ingredients to take your fireside sips game to a super sweet place:
Vanilla ice cream
Vanilla vodka
Your favorite high-quality root beer
Bonus: it's easy to make a mocktail version for the kids, too.
Strawberry Frosé
Watch How to Video Here
To make it, you’ll need:
About half a bottle of chilled rosé (or more to taste)
2 cups chopped strawberries
1/4 cup vodka
Juice of one lemon
4 cups ice
How-to:
In a blender, combine the rosé, strawberries, vodka and lemon juice. Add the ice and blend until slushy. If mixture is too watery, add more ice. If you are serving a larger group, the recipe can be doubled. Serve immediately and enjoy fireside!
Citrus Spritz
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
4 cups grapefruit juice
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
12 oz. of something bubbly (like Champagne, Prosecco or lemon-lime soda for a mocktail version)
Fresh citrus slices of your choice, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
In a large pitcher, combine the fruit juices. Add in the citrus slices and stir gently to combine. If you are serving right away, add in the lemon-lime soda or the Champagne and gently stir to combine. If you are making the drink in advance, you can refrigerate the pitcher of juices and citrus for up to a day. Add the soda or Champagne right before serving.
Elderflower Greyhound
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1.5 oz. vodka
1 oz. elderflower liqueur
2 oz. pink grapefruit juice
An orange slice for garnish
Combine vodka, elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice together in a shaker filled with ice.
Mix well and pour over a tumbler filled with ice.
Garnish with an orange.
Earl Grey Cocktail
Watch How to Video Here
To a shaker, add:
6 oz. of chilled Earl Grey tea
1.5 oz. of good-quality gin
1 oz. of honey simple syrup
.5 oz. of lemon juice
Give it a shake, pour over ice and garnish with edible flowers!
Irish Coffee
Watch How to Video Here
Start with a cup of fresh, hot coffee
Add 1 tbsp. of brown sugar
Add 1.5 oz. of Irish whiskey
Stir well and top with fresh whipped cream.
Raspberry Bellini
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1 package frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups chilled sparkling wine or Champagne
Mint leaves and fresh raspberries (optional)
Place raspberries, lemon juice and vanilla in a blender; cover and process until pureed.
Press through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard seeds.
Fill each flute or coupe with 2 tablespoons raspberry mixture; top with Champagne or sparkling wine.
Garnish as desired.
Lemon Ginger Shrub Mocktail
Watch How to Video Here
Add the following ingredients to a saucepan:
2 cups water
Fresh lemon juice (from 6 lemons)
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup fresh ginger (finely chopped)
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cups sugar
5 cardamom pods (whole)
Boil for 15-20 minutes and then cool.
Strain, then refrigerate until cold.
Add to a glass with ice and top with sparkling water, garnish with lemon.
White Christmas Martini
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1 oz. brown liquor of your choice
1 oz. amaretto
2 oz. eggnog
Sprinkle of grated nutmeg
Add all liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake for 30 seconds, strain into a martini glass and top with nutmeg.
Spiked Orange Hot Chocolate
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
2 tbsp of hot chocolate mix
8 oz. steamed milk
1.5 oz. Orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
2-3 drops orange bitters (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream, for topping
1 orange, for zesting
Pour 2 tbsp of hot chocolate mix into a mug of your choice.
Add 8 oz steamed milk and blend together.
Stir orange liqueur and bitters into the hot chocolate.
Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Zest some orange peel over the whipped cream for bright color and a zingy scent.
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1 part vodka
1 part cranberry juice cocktail
2 parts ginger beer
1 tablespoon lime juice
Lime wedges, fresh cranberries & rosemary sprig for garnish (optional)
Pour vodka, cranberry juice and lime juice into shaker with ice.
Shake it and then pour into a glass over ice.
Top with ginger beer and garnish as desired.
Pumpkin & Apple Cider Fizz
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1.5 oz. pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
1.5 oz. vanilla vodka
1.5 oz. apple cider
1.5 oz. ginger beer
Add vodka, cider and puree to an ice-filled shaker and shake until well chilled.
Strain into a glass and top with ginger beer.
Hot Toddy
Watch How to Video Here
You’ll need:
1.5 oz. brown liquor such as brandy, whiskey or rum
1 tablespoon honey
0.5 oz. lemon juice
1 cup hot water
Lemon wedge, cinnamon stick and star anise, for garnish (optional)
Combine the first four ingredients into a warmed mug and stir.
If desired, garnish with the lemon, cinnamon stick or star anise.
Enjoy hearthside!
